The Space Between
by Saxxmann5000
Summary: Umm.. insert friend posting this for author. The story is very detailed work, interesting character changes. Verra good story - battie-chan.
1. Surprises part one

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, SM or their related characters. I do, however, own this plotline and all original characters created within. And trust me, I'll be creating some characters.

This is my first GW fanfic so please be kind!

Gundam Wing: The Space Between…(Version 2.0)

_Surprises (1/2)_

Location: Preventers World Head Quarters.  Brussels, Belgium

Time: 22:45 Zulu; 23:45 Local

Date: Tuesday, April 17 A.C. 200

            A lone figure walked the near deserted halls of Preventer HQ (PHQ), casually observing the night shift, or 'Dog Watch' as its called, going about their business; returning the salutes given her, and just letting her mind as well as her feet wander.  With the bomb that was just dropped on her lap by a committee informant she needed to think.  Her aimless meandering apparently wasn't so aimless for she found herself at the open outer office door of one Captain Heero Yuy.  Peering inside she found that his secretary had gone home lone ago and his office door was open, spilling light into the darkened outer office.  Stepping up his doorframe and looking in she sees that he's typing at his (take a wild guess) laptop; she took time to get a good look at her former adversary, whom she now considered a good friend.  Clad in the summer office whites, his once unruly hair, now somewhat tamed, stands out in stark contrast; he's grown in the last four years to a respectable height of 5'11" and he's filled out to around 195 lb.  But the most remarkable changes were in his personality, he was still a bit standoffish around people he didn't know that well, but people that knew him (i.e. the other pilots and their allies) he was more open.  The only exception was Relena… 

Heero:  [still typing] You going to stand there all night staring or come in and tell me what you want...[stops typing turns toward door] Admiral Une? [Added almost as an after thought]

[The sound of his voice snaps her out of her reverie.  His voice is harsh but his Prussian blue eyes and features dance with barely hidden amusement.]

Une (VO): Straight and to the point. Glad some things never change. [Out loud]  Watch yourself Yuy, or I'll have you up on insubordination charges.

Heero:  And run the risk of having Duo as your chief of staff?  [Can't keep the grin off his face]  I think not!

Une: [shudders.] Point taken.

Heero: So, besides my sharp wit and good looks what brings you to my humble office?

Une moves to sit down in one of the two chairs in front of Heero's desk.  She looks a bit distressed.

Heero seeing this moves around his desk and sits in the other chair.

Une: I don't know how to tell you this but I have just received word that the Foreign Minister is going to put forth legislation outlining educational standards for the military and the Preventers being a quasi-military force….

Heero: We'll be subject to it. (Beat, shakes head) She is really beginning to grate my nerves.

Une: It's also retroactive, which means that any one that doesn't meet the standards, one of which is a high school diploma, will be discharged from their respective service.

Heero: There is some leeway in that? [Pause] What if said officers were going to school would they be discharged?

 Une: To answer your first question; there is, and the second, if they are going to school they would be put on inactive reserve status until the requirements are met. Oh but it gets better; she is offering to allow any officers, NCOs and commissioned, entry to the Sanq Academy free of charge. [Has an 'isn't that special' look on her face]  

Heero: Let me get this straight: she is backing legislation, that is clearly aimed at getting myself, the other gundam pilots and various other people under our command kicked out of the Preventers.  Sent to her hippie-tree-hugging-give-peace-a-chance-chanting frilly pink-wearing-I-love-you-you-love-me Academy, so she can try to brainwash us with her pacifism crap? {All in one breath}

Une: That's about it in a nutshell.

Heero: Like hell (reaches across desk, picks up phone dials a number) Wake up Grey, this is Heero…yeah I know what time it is (winces, holds phone away from ear) …….you kiss Hilde with that mouth… (looks at Une, winks continue talking) anyway I've got a job for ya……….

{Fade to Black}

{Title sequence, teasers for upcoming episodes (not in order) along with opening credits} 

{BGM _The Space Between by Dave Matthews Band}ßplays through_

_Panning view of the interior of the Operations Center with Catherine Bloom, in Summer Whites, sitting in the command chair._

_Heero, at home, sitting on his couch typing on his laptop as Cathy comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his shoulders. _

_Heero, Cathy and the gang, clad in black, in a firefight, all with matching feral grins_

_Duo storming out of Heero's office, after he leaves Heero turns to a shadowed corner and raises an eyebrow in a silent question at the figure that steps out._

_The President of the ESUN speaking at a press conference with Heero, Lady Une and Relena sitting next to each other in the background, all with varying degrees of boredom on their faces_

_Wide shot of all the primary Preventers gathered around Lady Une's office desk: Lady Une seated in the center, Heero perched on her side of the desk to her right with Cathy at his elbow; Grey and Wufei, standing at parade rest, to her right.   Duo standing to Une's left. Trowa and Quatre are both seated in the chairs in front of her desk but are turned to face the camera._

_Face shot of Heero that zooms in on one of his eyes and then transitions to a star field. _

Were the title of the fic is superimposed into the shot.

_Heero: (VO) Surprises (part 1)_

_{Cut to Heero's office}_

Location: Preventers World Head Quarters.  Brussels, Belgium

              17th Floor, Office of Captain Heero Yuy 

Time:      09:25 Zulu; 10:25 Local

Date:      Wednesday, April 18 A.C. 200

            Captain Yuy sat at his desk completely engrossed in the report in front of him. Within it held the unabridged version of the legislation that Relena was going to present to Congress within days.  Seated bonelessly in one of the chairs in front of the desk is Commander Jon 'Grey' Greyson, a tall African-American with gray eyes that's about the same age as Heero and commander of the Intelligence Division, a sub-department of the Intelligence/Security Division which Heero heads up,  

Heero: Are you sure that this is the only other copy?

Grey (tiredly): Yeah, [yawns, removes glasses, rubs eyes, and replaces glasses] I searched both her offices in the Admin. building and the one in her house including her computers and backups, hell I even tossed her room while she was sleeping.  That my friend, [pointing to the thick folder on Heero's desk] is it.  Not a bad six hours work, if I say so myself, considering I had little prep time, no prior warning and about three hours sleep.

Hearing Grey's voice Heero glances up at him closing the file.

Heero: Sorry I had to drag you outta bed last night, but I can barely go anywhere without one or more of  'her' spies following me. And that would have tipped her off that we were on to 'her'.

Grey: I know, remember that one Op in Rio?

Heero: [groan] Hey, I didn't know he was one of  'hers', I thought that he was one of them.

Grey: And if you did know he was one of 'hers'?

Heero: [evil grin] I would have still aimed for his head.  Anyway, [looks at watch] we have the mid-week briefing to get to.

Location: Preventers World Head Quarters.  Brussels, Belgium

              17th Floor, Conference Room #1 

Time:      09:30 Zulu; 10:30 Local

Date:      Wednesday, April 18 A.C. 200

On average there are three staff meetings per week at the Preventers; one on Monday, to bring them up to speed on events that happened over the weekend, another on Wednesday, a progress report of sorts and the Friday meeting was more of an end-of-week wrap-up.  At this meeting, however, the subject was not only how combat the latest terrorist threat, but also how to get over on the Minister's latest scheme.

This conference room is one of six on this floor but it's the only one that over looks the Operations Center.

Seated at the head of the conference table is the Director of the Preventers, Vice Admiral Rebekah Une seated to her right, the Intelligence/Security Division (ISD) Division Chief, Captain Heero Yuy. The next two on his right, Commanders Wufei Chang and Jon 'Grey' Greyson, Section Chiefs for the Security and Intelligence Sections respectively.  To Greyson's right a space for his wife Lieutenant Commander Hilde Schbeiker, head of R&D, who was late as usual. (SM5: I'll explain later) To Une's left Captain Quatre R. Winner head of the Violent Crimes Unit (VCU) followed by Captain Duo Maxwell, Division Chief for the Preventer Drug Enforcement Directorate  (PDED) and Captain Trowa Barton, Counter-Terrorism Division (CTD) Division Chief.

Une: Okay people before we begin I'm sure that by now you've heard the scuttlebutt.  The Minster apparently has a new hair up her ass and is again trying to get you.

Duo: [grinning] I'm tellin' ya Heero all you have to do it beat it up one good time and she'll never bother us again.

Quatre: [shuddering] I've heard of taking one for the team but that's going a bit too far.

Heero (dryly): [raises eyebrows] I'd rather slam it in a car door than subject it to that type of torture. (Under his breath) Again. 

Une:[slightly wide eyed at that last comment] Anyway, Instead of boring you with the details I'll give you the Heero Yuy version: she is backing legislation, that is clearly aimed at getting yourselves and various other people under my command kicked out of the Preventers.  Sent to her hippie-tree-hugging-give-peace-a-chance-chanting -I-love-you-you-love-me Academy, where she will try to brainwash you with her pacifism crap. [to Heero] Did I miss anything?

Heero: You forgot the frilly pink wearing part, but other than that that s'about it.  What? [At the looks he was getting] I was working late last night and she came by my office and told me about the bomb that was dropped on her lap and proceeded to drop it on mine, luckily, I'm used to defusing bombs.  

Duo: So fearless leader, are you going to tell us about your master plan or are you gonna leave us hanging?

Heero: Its simple: we go to school.

All: [except Heero, Grey and Une] WHAT? [Followed by colorful profanity ranging from his 'obvious' insanity to the Minister's questionable sexual orientation and her choice in …accessories]

Grey: (with mock disgust) Duo that was uncalled for! The minister does not use a vibrator with a weed-eater engine!

Quatre: He's right; it's a big block Chevy V-8…did I just say that?

Trowa:...

Duo:….

Wufei:….

Une: …

Grey: …

Heero: [recovering](chuckling) You've been hanging around us for far too long, at any rate, before I was so rudely interrupted I was about to say we go to school _elsewhere._

Trowa: Where?

Heero: There are some prospects but I need to do a little more digging before I present y'all with anything concrete.

Trowa: [to Duo]: translation: he's gonna get his 'phantom aide' to do it.

Duo: Yeah, how come we never see this aide of his?

Une: Now that we've gotten that out of the way on to…

At that moment Hilde decided to enter.  Her hover chair not making a sound as she glided across the floor to her usual space. (AN: I'll explain that later also just go with it!)

Grey: You're late.

Hilde: Hey! It's not like HQ is real handicap friendly! [There was a momentary pause as her chair shifted from it's 'standing' position to the 'sitting' position] Besides, I like to make an entrance.

Une: You're just in time, we were about to go over 'Operation Fox-Hunt'. Heero?

Heero: Right. 

[Heero gets out of his seat and moves to a control panel on the wall behind Lady Une and punches in a code. Then turns as the four wall sections behind Grey, Wufei, and Hilde slide into the floor revealing a railing and four panels of angled glass separating the conference room and the Operations Center or just Op Cent.  There are three tiers in Op Cent. On the uppermost tier, just below conference room one, behind a row of computers is where the mission specialists are stationed; three from each division. Behind them and on a raised dais, sits the Mission Commander. There are steps on either side of the row of computers that lead to the next tier, which is occupied mainly by COSCOM (Corp Support Command, logistics). This tier has three sets of stairs two on opposite sides of the room leading to the lowest level and a center one that halves the COSCOM tier that leads to the communications platform. On the lower level, on either side of the comm platform, are the Ops technician stations. At the front of this massive room there are three huge monitors, one large monitor flanked on either side by two smaller ones. All three are currently displaying a rotating 3D image of the Preventers seal.] 

Heero: As you all are painfully aware, there is a new administration and they want to make an impression during their fist few months in office. So they have tasked us to and I quote 'Identify and remove the major threats to the ESUN' 

Grey: Translation: we made a ton of promises to get here and now we're screwed coz now we have to make good on em, could ya bail our nuts out the fire? 

Heero: Basically, Yeah. However we can use this to our advantage.

Quatre: How?

 Heero: Well, the former administration, for whatever reasons, would not allow us to actively go after certain individuals or groups that have made life (bt) difficult. Now we have free reign to do so. That means…

Duo: We can finally take down a few of those drug lords and their cartels… permanently.

Trowa: As well as some of the more violent and extreme terrorist cells.

Grey: Not to mention a few individuals that has made life in the intel world miserable. Eh Chang? (Evil grin)

Wufei: (matching grin) I could think of a few. 

Heero: Since we are all in agreement, let's go through the targets..

Duo: hey! How do you know which ones we want?

Heero: Well for one, I'm the ISD chief it's my job to know and for two I've been listening to you guys moan about them for past three months.  

Duo: Oh

Heero: My 'phantom aid' as Trowa put it, has complied the profiles for the three drug cartels, five terrorist cells and four individuals on our hit list into a presentation and is down in Op Cent waiting to run it.

Turning to a console attached to the railing and presses a button presumably an intercom.

Heero: Cathy, proceed when ready.

Cathy: Aye, sir.

End Part 1

I feel I need to explain some stuff. In my little world the Preventers are sort of a combination of the FBI, CIA, BATF, NSA (for those that don't know that's the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the National Security Agency) and the US Marshals. They are also organized as such. However, they retain the Navy ranking system for officers i.e. Captain, Admiral, Commander and so forth and the Navy standard rating system for Enlisted personnel [The use of the word "rank" for Navy enlisted personnel is incorrect. The term is "rate." The rating badge is a combination of rate (pay grade as indicated by the chevrons) and rating (occupational specialty as indicated by the symbol just above the chevrons] i.e. Master Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer, you get the picture. I will be mixing and matching them for example: Heero is a Captain; Division Chief, and Chief Deputy Director (he's the second in command of the whole Preventers outfit.) So his title could be Division Chief Yuy, Chief Deputy Director Yuy, or just Captain Yuy.

Also this will be mainly dialogue driven, oh there will be action, a little humor but mostly dialogue. 

Thanx for reading now review! And please if you don't like it tell me why, don't just say it sucks tell me why it sucks.  

SM5


	2. Suprises part two

Heero (VO): Previously on The Space Between:  
  
Une: I don't know how to tell you this but I have just received word that the Foreign Minister is going to put forth legislation outlining educational standards for the military and the Preventers being a quasi-military force….  
  
Heero: We'll be subject to it….  
  
Heero: Like hell (reaches across desk, picks up phone dials a number) Wake up Grey, this is Heero…yeah I know what time it is (winces, holds phone away from ear) …you kiss Hilde with that mouth… (looks at Une, winks continue talking) anyway I've got a job for ya……….  
  
Duo: So fearless leader, are you going to tell us about your master plan or are you gonna leave us hanging?  
Heero: Its simple: we go to school.  
All: [except Heero, Grey and Une] WHAT?  
  
Heero: As you all are painfully aware, there is a new administration and they want to make an impression during their fist few months in office. So they have tasked us to and I quote 'Identify and remove the major threats to the ESUN'   
Grey: Translation: we made a ton of promises to get here and now we're screwed coz now we have to make good on em, could ya bail our nuts out the fire?  
  
Heero: My 'phantom aid' as Trowa put it, has complied the profiles for the three drug cartels, five terrorist cells and four individuals on our hit list into a presentation and is down in Ops waiting to run it.  
Turning to a console attached to the railing and presses a button presumably an intercom.  
Heero: Cathy, proceed when ready.  
Cathy: Aye, sir.

Heero (VO): and now the conclusion.

{Fade to Black}

{Title sequence, teasers for upcoming episodes (not in order) along with opening credits} 

{BGM _The Space Between by Dave Matthews Band} plays through_

_Panning view of the interior of the Operations Center with Catherine Bloom, in Summer Whites, sitting in the command chair._

_Heero, at home, sitting on his couch typing on his laptop as Cathy comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his shoulders. _

_Heero, Cathy and the gang, clad in black, in a firefight, all with matching feral grins_

_Duo storming out of Heero's office, after he leaves Heero turns to a shadowed corner and raises an eyebrow in a silent question at the figure that steps out._

_The President of the ESUN speaking at a press conference with Heero, Lady Une and Relena sitting next to each other in the background, all with varying degrees of boredom on their faces_

Wide shot of all the primary Preventers gathered around Lady Une's office desk: Lady Une seated in the center, Heero perched on her side of the desk to her right with Cathy at his left elbow; Grey and Wufei, standing at parade rest, to her right.   Duo standing to Une's left. Trowa and Quatre are both seated in the chairs in front of her desk but are turned to face the camera.

_Face shot of Heero that zooms in on one of his eyes and then transitions to a star field. _

_Were the title of the fic is superimposed into the shot._

_Heero: (VO) Surprises (part 2)_

Location: Yuy residence. Condo #42 Locke Wood Building. Brussels, Belgium

              19th floor (the penthouse)

Time:  20:41 Zulu; 21:41 Local

Date:  Wednesday, April 18 A.C. 200

{Cut to Heero in a pair of black pajama bottoms and a green tank top sitting on his couch typing onto his laptop}

Heero (VO): From the Journal of Heero Yuy. Well, today everyone found out who my 'phantom aide' is. It was rather… interesting.  However, I think that they took it pretty well…

****Flashback****

{BGM: _Janie's Got a Gun_ by Aerosmith}

Location: Preventers World Head Quarters.  Brussels, Belgium

  17th Floor, Conference Room #1 

Time:  09:50 Zulu; 10:50 Local

Date:  Wednesday, April 18 A.C. 200

{The scene is the same as before, but all the characters (with the exception of Heero who is still standing) are still, as if frozen in time. He is turned to the camera}

Heero: Cathy had just finished her presentation and was on her up to the conference room and I had just asked if there were any questions or comments.  And knowing Duo like I do I felt the need to nip him in the bud so to speak.

{Turns back to the cast and time resumes}

Heero: [glaring at Duo who had opened his mouth to speak] Does it concern the upcoming missions?

Duo: [grinning] sorta

Heero: [sees where this is heading] What?

Duo: Is she coming too?

Heero: Yes. Why?

Duo: Just wondering

Heero: Try to keep your mind out of the gutter, Lt. Commander Bloom is a fine officer and I can personally vouch for her.

Trowa: How's that?

Heero: I trained her personally.

{The characters freeze again and this time it includes Heero}

(VO) Okay here's where things got interesting: before Trowa could respond, Cathy entered the room. Clad in summer whites to say she looked good would be like saying that the sun is hot: a gross understatement.  But that wasn't what made things interesting, it was what she did after she came in. I knew that she had something in mind when she started to walk towards me. I could see the mischievous glint in her eye and yet I did nothing. I'll Admit, I was curious as to what she was going to do, but I also know that curiosity killed the cat. 

{Time resumes}

[Cathy walks over to Heero, and whispers something into his ear, but in doing so she leans in close, stands on her toes and puts a hand on his chest. In an unconscious reaction, Heero places a hand on her hip. As she whispers in his ear his facial expression goes from an impassive mask to a smirk to a small grin to a wide excrement-eating grin. After she is done he gives a short chuckle, as he bends down to whisper into her ear]

Heero (in a whisper): You are evil you know that, right?

[Cathy suppresses a shiver as his bottom lip grazes her ear lobe]

Cathy (Out loud): You know you love me anyway.

Heero (VO): That's when it happened 

[Catching movement out of the corners of their eyes both Heero and Cathy dive out of the way of an angry Trowa.  One draws a weapon the other falls into a defensive fighting stance. Trowa moves to make another attempt but is brought up short by the sound of the safety of a handgun being released. Trowa looks at Heero but sees no weapon. Heero seeing his confusion motions for him to look to his right. He does and receives the shock of his life: standing there is his sister with a Glock 35  (.40 cal) leveled at him with her finger on the trigger. The only thing between him and oblivion is 4 ½ pounds of pressure.

Heero: (wry grin) Did I forget to mention that she is also the head of my personal security detail? Well, she is.  Why? It's one less thing for me to worry about.  [Straightens uniform]  Now if there are no more issues that need addressing, I suggest that this meeting be adjourned (bt) any objections?  [Everyone is still in shocked silence, mouths agape.]  No? Then I take my leave of you.  One more thing, there should be a copy of the presentation on your desks, study it well. [Starts for the door, stops and calls Commander Bloom over his shoulder. She slowly moves for the door with her sidearm still drawn, but in the low ready position and a watchful eye on the others.]

{BGM fade}

****End Flashback****

{BGM _Here's to the Night_ by Eve6}

Location: Yuy residence. Condo #42 Locke Wood Building. Brussels, Belgium

              19th floor (the penthouse)

Time:  20:46 Zulu; 21:46 Local

Date:  Wednesday, April 18 A.C. 200

{Cut to: Heero in a pair of black pajama bottoms and a green tank top sitting on his couch typing onto his laptop, again}

Heero (VO): As I said I think that they took it well. All I got from Trowa were evil glares for the rest of the day. My only hope is that this won't affect the upcoming mission. 

[As he is typing on his laptop Cathy, wearing a purple silk night gown, comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his shoulders and rests her head next to his]

Heero: You knew. [Stops typing. Closes laptop]

Cathy: (faux innocence) Excuse me?

Heero: You heard me. [Places laptop next to him]

Cathy: I don't know what you're talking about.

Heero: Then let me jog your memory. [Reaches up, grabs her arms, pulls her over the back of the couch and into his lap and proceeds to tickle her senseless]

Cathy (still laughing): Okay, okay. You win. [Stops tickling her, but she is still in his lap] What was the question again?

Heero: It was more of a statement than a question, but I'll say it again. You knew. Didn't you? 

Cathy:  Knew what?

Heero (warning tone): Cathy

Cathy: It was a legitimate question because there were two things that I could have known. 

Heero: Go on. 

Cathy: Well, for one I _could_ have known that Trowa would have reacted strongly. 

Heero: And

Cathy: And I _could_ have known how you would respond to me. (Smug) Much like you are now.

Heero (grinning): I state again: you are evil

Cathy [leaning in]: And I say again: You (kiss) love (kiss) me (kiss) for it (kiss).

[The last kiss is an extended one.]

Heero (low voice): Not that I'm complaining, but what did you come in here for?

Cathy: [thinking] I don't really remember. (Sly) perchance you could jar my memory? Among a few other things.

Heero: If Trowa only knew…

Cathy: That's it! That's what I came in to ask you.

Heero: Hey, you guys ain't from West Virginia. Are you? 

Cathy: No! What I meant was should we tell him (pause) about us?

Heero (softly): What do we tell him? We can't even explain it. We're more than just friends. And I wouldn't use the word lovers.  To be honest I don't know what we have, but I do know this: being with you is as close to normal as I've ever been.

Cathy (sad smile): Too bad we both know that it will never last.

Heero: Yeah, I know. But let's enjoy it while we have it, huh?

Cathy: Right. [Gets up and heads toward bedroom pauses.] You coming to bed soon?

Heero: Yeah, I'll be there in a few, just let me finish this. [Picks up laptop, opens it and resumes typing] 

Heero (VO): I also hope that this won't come between her and Trowa. It would destroy them both.  It seems that I'll have to do some damage control tomorrow. [Closes out program and shuts down laptop. Lays it on the couch rises and begins to turn off the remaining lights in the room and heads for their bedroom.]

{Pan out a window to skyline, BGM fade}

{Cut to}

Location: Yuy residence. Condo #42 Locke Wood Building. Brussels, Belgium

              19th floor (the penthouse)

Time:  03:30 Zulu; 04:30 Local

Date:  Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

{Cut to wide panning shot of Master bedroom}

{Shot pans from left to right}

[We see a nicely appointed bedroom. A large, currently occupied, four poster bed dominates the room, nightstands on either side. On the opposite wall stands a long dresser with two mirrors. If you are facing the dresser, off to the left is a six-drawer chest-of-drawers and a set of French doors that lead onto a private rooftop terrace. To the right of the dresser is the entryway a set of sliding doors leading to the master bath and dressing areas. To the right of the sliding doors sits an entertainment center. ]

{Refocus on the bed}

[Heero and Cathy are curled up together in bed. (Minds out of the gutter hentai's!!) Heero is on his back, still in his pajama bottoms even though we can't see them. One of his arms is wrapped around her waist; the other is across his eyes. Cathy, in her night gown still, is on her stomach half on half off of him with her arms wrapped around his chest and her head is tucked beneath Heero's chin. The ringing of a phone disturbs the quiet. Using the arm over his eyes he reaches for the phone. We only hear his side of the conversation.]

Heero (to himself): This had better be good. (Into phone) Yuy… What!? [Sits up]…When…that little… No, I'll handle them. You deal with the ones out there… Right…You did good, Yuy out.

 [Hangs up phone. Pinches the bridge of his nose. Cathy, who has woken up and heard his half of the conversation, waits patiently for him to come to a decision.]

Heero: We need to pay Senator Matthew Hayes a visit. (bt) Now.

[Throwing the sheets back, both of them rise out of bed and head for the sliding doors that lead to the two walk-in closets the hold their wardrobes]

Cathy: What's the uniform of the day? [Begins to grab clothing] 

Heero: Basic black [Puts on the black field uniform, which consist of black boots, cargo pants, tee shirt and the Preventer Jacket. The jacket has been redesigned for ISD, its still black but the shoulders are charcoal gray (kinda like the Star Trek: First Contact uniform jacket) with the Preventer logo in silver. However instead of the standard boots Heero wears a pair of black Skechers sport sneakers. In addition to this he puts on his hip holster. In it he slides his SigArms, P220 with SIGLITE ® night sites and 14 rounds of .45 caliber hollow points. ((AN: I got tired of the 9mm. Really, it has no stopping power. Now .45 ACP, that'll stop ya.  Besides that's what most Federal agents carry today. )) In addition to that he puts four extra clips in the cargo pockets of his pants. A six-inch long and an inch and a quarter in diameter cylinder is placed in a special holder in his jacket near the small on his back. Cathy is similarly dressed except that her shirt is a ribbed v-neck and she carries her Glock 34.

After dressing they leave the condo and head for the building's underground parking lot, via private elevator. Once in the garage they climb into a black BMW 333i and drive off into the predawn light.]

{Fade to black}

End _Surprises Part II _

Heero VO: Next time on Gundam Wing: The Space Between...

_[Heero, seated in an overstuffed chair with Cathy standing in the shadows behind him, is talking with a man in his mid-to-late forties, average build and height, and sandy brown hair. Who was earlier identified as Senator Matthew Hayes] _

_Sen. Hayes: Heero, you realize that we have no alternative?_

_Heero: Yeah Matt, I know. Not that I like the bastard, he's a grade-A asshole, it's just that, I don't want to give her any advantage, but I agree there is no other way. _

_Cathy: So, we're gonna assassinate Sen. Martin?_

_Heero: Yeah._

_Cathy (coldly): I going to enjoy this one_

_[At her last words her eyes became the flat lifeless eyes of a killer or perfect solider, you decide]_

As usual be kind, review!

SM5 


	3. The Game Begins

Gundam Wing: The Space between…Chapter 3: The Game Begins

Heero (VO): Previously on _The Space Between:_

_Heero (VO): From the Journal of Heero Yuy. Well, today everyone found out who my 'phantom aide' is. It was rather… interesting.  However, I think that they took it pretty well…_

_Heero: Try to keep your mind out of the gutter, Lt. Commander Bloom is a fine officer and I can personally vouch for her._

_Trowa: How's that?_

_Heero: I trained her personally._

_Catching movement out of the corners of their eyes both Heero and Cathy dive out of the way of an angry Trowa. Heero seeing his confusion motions for him to look to his right. He does and receives the shock of his life: standing there is his sister with a Glock 35  (.40 cal) leveled at him with her finger on the trigger._

_Heero: (wry grin) Did I forget to mention that she is also the head of my personal security detail?_

_Cathy (still laughing): What was the question again?_

_Heero: It was more of a statement than a question, but I'll say it again. You knew. Didn't you? _

_Heero: If Trowa only knew…_

_Cathy: That's it! That's what I came in to ask you._

_Heero (softly): What do we tell him? We can't even explain it. We're more than just friends. And I wouldn't use the word lovers.  To be honest I don't know what we have, but I do know this: being with you is as close to normal as I've ever been._

_Cathy: You coming to bed soon?_

_Heero: Yeah, I'll be there in a few, just let me finish this._

_Heero (to himself): This had better be good. (Into phone) Yuy… What!? [Sits up]…When…that little… No, I'll handle them. You deal with the ones out there… Right…You did good, Yuy out._

_Heero: (to Cathy) We need to pay Senator Matthew Hayes a visit. (bt) Now._

{Fade to Black}

{Title sequence, teasers for upcoming episodes (not in order) along with opening credits} 

{BGM _The Space Between by Dave Matthews Band}ßplays through_

_Panning view of the interior of the Operations Center with Catherine Bloom, in Summer Whites, sitting in the command chair._

_Heero, at home, sitting on his couch typing on his laptop as Cathy comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his shoulders. _

_Heero, Cathy and the gang, clad in black, in a firefight, all with matching feral grins_

_Duo storming out of Heero's office, after he leaves Heero turns to a shadowed corner and raises an eyebrow in a silent question at the figure that steps out._

_The President of the ESUN speaking at a press conference with Heero, Lady Une and Relena sitting next to each other in the background, all with varying degrees of boredom on their faces_

Wide shot of all the primary Preventers gathered around Lady Une's office desk: Lady Une seated in the center, Heero perched on her side of the desk to her right with Cathy at his left elbow; Grey and Wufei, standing at parade rest, to her right.   Duo standing to Une's left. Trowa and Quatre are both seated in the chairs in front of her desk but are turned to face the camera.

_Face shot of Heero that zooms in on one of his eyes and then transitions to a star field. _

_Were the title of the fic is superimposed into the shot._

Heero: (VO) The Game Begins 

{BGM: _Drive_ by Incubus}

{Cut to:}

Location: En Route to Sen. Hayes' residence 

Time:  03:45 Zulu; 04:45 Local

Date:  Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

[Ext. shot of one of Heero's cars, a BMW 333I, as it weaves effortlessly through the early morning traffic. Cut to Int. shot. Heero at the wheel and Cathy in the front passenger seat. Cathy, who is by now used to his 'actions-first-answers-later' style, sits and waits for him to explain the situation to her and as if on queue]

Heero: That was one of my (bt) contacts informing me that the minister is once again trying to gain control of the Security Council (SecCon).

Cathy: Why now?

Heero: You remember Sen. Kelly Griggs? 

Cathy (smiling): The one that makes homemade cookies for her security detail? Yeah, why?

Heero: Well, according to my contact she will be found dead in a few hours of, and I quote, "natural causes."

Cathy: How'd she really die?

Heero: Cranial-facial lead infusion.

Cathy (gives Heero a yeah-right look, but sees he's serious): For real?

Heero (nods): And that means there will be an opening on the SecCon for 'her' the put another one of  'her' cronies in. 

Cathy:  Isn't she afraid that we'll investigate?

Heero: She's gotten better at covering all tracks that lead to her. Don't get me wrong we'll investigate, but this time we have the advantage.

Cathy: How's that?

Heero: If you remember during the Mars Riots, Relena was a member of SecCon.

Cathy: Yeah, so?

Heero: Remember those nasty leaks? 

Cathy: Remember! I have a few lovely scars because of them.

Heero: Ever wonder where they were coming from? (Lets the accusation remain unsaid)

Cathy: You're not serious! (bt) Are you?

[Heero's only response is to quickly glance at her and raise an eyebrow.]

Cathy: Damn. What were you saying about us having an advantage?

Heero: Actually, this time around we have two. The first is the most obvious and most important: Relena is no longer on SecCon. The second is that we have jurisdiction over Sen. Griggs death.

[Seeing that he has lost her Heero explains]

Heero: If we investigate we can make it look like whatever we want. Assassination, robbery-gone-bad, or terrorist activity. If we say she was killed by terrorists that gives us more leverage to go after them and it makes us look good when we take down the group we say is responsible.

Cathy: Okay, I get the having jurisdiction part but what does the first have to do with (trails off getting it) Oh, I see: since she isn't on SecCon, she doesn't know about the upcoming raids. Nice. I wish I could see the look on her face when she finds out that she played into our hands, unwittingly or not.

Heero: Right, now all we have to do now is keep her from getting a foothold in the SecCon. Hence this early morning trip to see Sen. Hayes

Cathy: But why him?

Heero: He's one of ours.

Cathy: What? He's a Preventer?

Heero: Yup.

Cathy (grinning): Do you know how many laws and regulations that goes against?

Heero (matter-of-factly): About four or five laws and six regs.

Cathy: Just checking. Anyway. Why now?

Heero: He has more political insight into the matter and he might know a little more about Sen. Griggs' death.

[The rest of the ride to Sen. Hayes' house was spent in silence]

{BGM fades}

Location: Sen. Hayes' residence 

Time:  04:00 Zulu; 05:00 Local

Date:  Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

[A man in his mid-to-late forties, average build and height, and sandy brown hair is seen nervously pacing back and forth in a well-appointed study. Oddly enough he is fully dressed even at this early hour.  Glancing at his watch he walks over to a hutch with glass doors to retrieve two scotch glasses. When he opens the doors he sees the refection of an empty overstuffed chair after, however, when he closes the door the chair is occupied by one Heero Yuy with Cathy standing in the shadows behind him.]

Sen. Hayes: GAAHH! Damnit Yuy! 

Heero: You should have seen that one coming.

Sen. Hayes: Whatever, who's the muscle? [Pouring the drinks]

Cathy: Lieutenant Commander Catherine Bloom and I've been called a lot of things, but never muscle.

Sen. Hayes: Muscle is muscle no matter how pretty a package you wrap it in. [glances at Cathy asking a silent question, she shakes her head declining the drink] Scotch: the breakfast of champions 

Heero: Back to subject, Intell dump. 

Sen. Hayes: Right, [hands Heero a drink and the lowers him self in to a the chair opposite him] about three weeks ago I began to hear about a certain individual inquiring as to what would happen if a member of SecCon were to pass on. You know, order of succession, eligibility, term limits and so forth. Anyway, two weeks ago these inquiries began to get less and less general and more specific, more into the who and the what. So I began to make discreet inquiries of my own and I found that Sen. Louis Martin was the one asking the questions.

Heero: The jerk from the finance committee? Relena's lap dog? 

Sen. Hayes: [reaching for a folder that lay on the table next to his chair] he's more than her lap dog [tossing the folder to Heero] Before you look at that file I must warn you it will make your stomach turn.

Heero: [opens the file and nearly chokes on his drink from laughing] WHAT THE HELL? [Flips through the rest of the file] To quote Raul Duke from _Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas_: "How many strange mornings and weird nights had this shit been going on?"

Sen. Hayes: As far as I can tell, about five weeks.

Heero: Her control over him?

Sen. Hayes: Complete.

Cathy: Great, yet another mindless sycophant.

Sen. Hayes: There's more, I think he's the one that contacted our mutual friend to do the deed, but…

Heero: He didn't know that they were working for us now.  Perfect. How did they want her killed?

Sen. Hayes: Poison, one that causes a heart attack and is quite untraceable. Our friend declined the job but passed it along to someone else and then contacted myself and then you.

Cathy: I thought that you said she was shot in the face?

Heero: That's what we're gonna tell the press. 

Sen. Hayes: That's also what our friend made it look like after the assassin left. 

Cathy: Why?

Sen. Hayes: Because that's the only way that we can keep the Minster from putting someone form her camp in the position. You see if a member of SecCon dies of natural causes, the whole senate has to vote on the replacement, and that's a long drawn out process. Plenty of time for her to worm her way in and influence people. 

Heero: However, if a member is murdered, then only members of the council vote for the replacement within fifteen days. Helps lower the chance of outside influence. 

Sen. Hayes: Therein lies our problem.

Heero: how so?

Sen. Hayes: Remember earlier when I was talking about order of succession and eligibility?  Well the long and the short of it is that Sen. Martin is the only one that has the time in office to be considered for the position. The only way we could put someone in other than Martin is if he were dead. 

Heero: Aw crap. She has got us in a corner but good don't she? We can't let it go cause she'll have an operative on SecCon. If we act then she'll know that we have someone on the inside. 

Cathy: A dangerous game she's playing.

Heero: A game she's gotten good at.

Sen. Hayes: Heero, you realize that we have no alternative?

Heero: Yeah Matt, I know. Not that I like the bastard, he's a grade-A asshole, it's just that I don't want to give her any advantage, but I agree there is no other way. 

Cathy: So, we're gonna assassinate Sen. Martin?

Heero: Yeah.

Cathy (coldly): I'm going to enjoy this.

[At her last words her eyes became the flat lifeless eyes of a killer or perfect solider, you decide]

Sen. Hayes: What's up with her?

Heero: Oh she applied for a job with his office but she declined his extremely overt advances for, shall we say, favors. But all that aside do you have anyone to fill the position that the soon to be, and not so dearly, departed Sen. Martin will vacate?

Sen. Hayes: Yeah, Elaine Hill. She's a junior senator, but she shows promise and is untainted. Until Sen. Martin is out of the picture she will be overlooked.

Heero: [rising out of his seat] Excellent, do what you need to. We'll handle Griggs' murder investigation. Speaking of which, we need to find a radical group that was pissed with her.

Sen. Hayes: take your pick! The woman was a firebrand! She had a glare that rivaled yours. She took no shit whatsoever! 

Heero: Well that makes it a bit easier. [Turns to walk away but stops his voice low] I never asked but why Kelly?

Sen. Hayes: You don't remember? [Heero shakes his head] Of coarse you wouldn't it was a closed session. She trashed one of the Minister's pet projects in front of the entire Senate.

Cathy (dryly): which one?

Sen. Hayes: I don't know really. I think it was during the time she had the health care hair up her ass. The Minster had just announced a bill and everyone except for me, Griggs and the SecCon members, began doing his or her best impersonation of a Hoover. Griggs just sat back and let the brown nosers do their thing. After they had calmed down she took the floor and began to verbally tear her dumb bill a new one. [By this time Matt is laughing] After she was done with the bill, which by the way never passed, Kelly turned her sights on the Minister herself and very politely told her to go fuck herself. She didn't say it out right, but it was in the subtext.

Heero: God, I wish I could have seen that.

Sen. Hayes: (still grinning) Yeah that was Kelly at her best. (Sobers) I'm gonna miss her. Heero, you know I've never asked anything of you, but can you do this one thing for me?

Heero: Sure, what is it?

Sen. Hayes: Make that sonofabitch suffer.

Heero: Mission Accepted.

{Fade to Black}

End _The Game Begins_

Heero VO: Next time on Gundam Wing: The Space Between...

_[Heero and Cathy, still in the field uniform, pull into the underground parking garage beneath Preventer HQ at the same time as Duo]_

_Duo: [stepping out of a red Ford-150 crew cab]: Whoa, Heero buddy where did you get the money to buy that?_

_Heero: [climbing out of car] what do you think I was doing on my laptop for all those years, playing Quake? _

_[Cathy is already out of the car and on her way to the express elevators. Heero turns locks the doors and heads that way, but calls out to Duo over his shoulder]_

_Heero: If you like that you should see my condo!_

_[enters elevator just as the doors start to close leaving a dumbfounded Dou standing in the middle of the parking garage]_

_[Int. shot of the elevator.]_

_Cathy: so what's my assignment?  _

_Heero: First, I want you to go and talk to Quatre, tell him that we need him to investigate a Code Three. He'll know what that means, he's helped me with these type situations before. After that I want you to go and talk with Grey, tell him that I want Group Six spooled up and ready to go at a moments notice and prepped for recon duty._

_[Elevator 'dings' she is at her floor exits the elevator, turn s to Heero]_

_Cathy: What will you be doing?_

_Heero: I'm going to the Medical tower and talk Sally into going along with this and then I'm gonna talk to Trowa. [Doors close]_

Hope you like! Review if you do! And if you don't, do it any way!

SM5


	4. An Overture

Gundam Wing: The Space between…Chapter 4 An Overture

Heero (VO): Previously on _The Space Between:_

_Heero: That was one of my (bt) contacts informing me that the minister is once again trying to gain control of the Security Council (SecCon)._

_Heero: You remember Sen. Kelly Griggs? _

_Cathy (smiling): Yeah, why?_

_Heero: Well, according to my contact she will be found dead in a few hours of, and I quote, "natural causes."_

_Cathy: How'd she really die?_

_Heero: Cranial-facial lead infusion_

_Sen. Hayes: Right, [hands Heero a drink and the lowers him self in to a the chair opposite him] about three weeks ago I began to hear about a certain individual inquiring as to what would happen if a member of SecCon were to pass on. I found that Sen. Louis Martin was the one asking the questions._

_Heero: The jerk from the finance committee? Relena's lap dog? _

_Sen. Hayes: [reaching for a folder that lay on the table next to his chair] he's more than her lap dog_

_Heero: Aw crap. She has got us in a corner but good don't she? We can't let it go cause she'll have an operative on SecCon. If we act then she'll know that we have someone on the inside. _

_Cathy: A dangerous game she's playing._

_Heero: A game she's gotten good at._

_Heero: Well that makes it a bit easier. [Turns to walk away but stops his voice low] I never asked but why Kelly? _

_Sen. Hayes: You don't remember? She took the floor and began to verbally tear her dumb bill a new one. [By this time Matt is laughing] After she was done with the bill, which by the way never passed, Kelly turned her sights on the Minister herself and very politely told her to go fuck herself._

_Heero: God, I wish I could have seen that._

_Sen. Hayes: (still grinning) Yeah that was Kelly at her best. (Sobers) I'm gonna miss her. Heero, you know I've never asked anything of you, but can you do this one thing for me?_

_Heero: Sure, what is it?_

_Sen. Hayes: Make that sonofabitch suffer._

_Heero: Mission Accepted._

{Fade to Black}

{Title sequence, teasers for upcoming episodes (not in order) along with opening credits} 

{BGM _The Space Between by Dave Matthews Band}ßplays through_

_Panning view of the interior of the Operations Center with Catherine Bloom, in Summer Whites, sitting in the command chair._

_Heero, at home, sitting on his couch typing on his laptop as Cathy comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his shoulders. _

_Heero, Cathy and the gang, clad in black, in a firefight, all with matching feral grins_

_Duo storming out of Heero's office, after he leaves Heero turns to a shadowed corner and raises an eyebrow in a silent question at the figure that steps out._

_The President of the ESUN speaking at a press conference with Heero, Lady Une and Relena sitting next to each other in the background, all with varying degrees of boredom on their faces_

Wide shot of all the primary Preventers gathered around Lady Une's office desk: Lady Une seated in the center, Heero perched on her side of the desk to her right with Cathy at his left elbow; Grey and Wufei, standing at parade rest, to her right.   Duo standing to Une's left. Trowa and Quatre are both seated in the chairs in front of her desk but are turned to face the camera.

_Face shot of Heero that zooms in on one of his eyes and then transitions to a star field. _

_Were the title of the fic is superimposed into the shot._

Heero: (VO) _An Overture_

{BGM: _Basketcase_ by Green Day} 

{Cut to:}

Location: En Route to Preventers World Head Quarters. 

Time:  05:45 Zulu; 06:45 Local

Date:  Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

[Ext. shot of one of Heero's cars, a BMW 333i, as it cruises through the morning traffic. Cut to Int. shot. Heero at the wheel and Cathy in the front passenger seat. Cathy is sitting deep in thought while Heero is stealing glances at her as if waiting for her to ask a question]

Cathy: Heero, can I ask you something?

Heero: Sure.

Cathy: What's going on, I mean what's really going on?

[The expression on Heero's face is a mix of relief and pride]

Heero: Do you know how long I've been waiting for some one to ask me that question? Never mind, don't ask. [Pauses to gather thoughts] I don't really know where to start.

Cathy (grinning): The best way to tell a story is to start at the beginning and stop at the end.

Heero: True, guess I should take the long way to HQ. Well to begin I'm not really Heero Yuy, I am, but I'm not…

{Cut to ext. shot of car. Camera zooms out till the car is undistinguishable from the other cars on the road. Time-lapse footage of the morning cityscape shows the passage of time.}

{BGM fades}

{Cut to}

Location: En Route to Preventers World Head Quarters. 

Time:  08:45 Zulu; 09:45 Local

Date:  Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

{Ext. shot of Heero's car at an intersection near Preventer HQ. You can see the black marble twin towers rising high amid the surrounding buildings.  Cut back to the int. of the car.}

[Heero is just winding down form his story and Cathy has a spell bound look on her face.]

Heero: … and that's really all there is to tell, to bad you won't remember this conversation, (to himself) at least until the time is right. (Louder, to Cathy) Cathy! Wake up, we're almost there, (grinning) did we wake up too early?

Cathy: Shut up, you of all people should know I'm not a morning person.

Heero (smug): I don't know about that, a few mornings ago you seemed pretty alert to me.

Cathy (blushing, changes subjects quickly): Oh look the light's green.

[Heero just grins and drives on]

Location: Preventers World Head Quarters. 

              Underground Parking

Time:  08:48 Zulu; 09:48 Local

Date:  Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

[Still in the field uniform, pulls into the underground parking garage beneath Preventer HQ at the same time as Duo]

Duo: [stepping out of a red Ford-150 crew cab]: Whoa, Heero buddy where did you get the money to buy that?

Heero: [climbing out of car] what do you think I was doing on my laptop for all those years, playing Quake? 

[Cathy is already out of the car and on her way to the express elevators. Heero turns locks the doors and heads that way, but calls out to Duo over his shoulder]

Heero: If you like that you should see my condo!

[Enters elevator just as the doors start to close leaving a dumbfounded Dou standing in the middle of the parking garage]

[Int. shot of the elevator.]

Cathy: so what's my assignment?  

Heero: First, I want you to go and talk to Quatre, tell him that we need him to investigate a Code Three. He'll know what that means, he's helped me with these type situations before. After that I want you to go and talk with Grey, tell him that I want one team from Group Six (GR6) spooled up and ready to go at a moments notice and prepped for recon duty.

{GR6 is the ultra secret special opts detachment of the Preventers.  They are tasked to quietly resolve uprisings and disputes using any means at their disposal. Cross-trained in a number of disciplines and highly motivated these operatives are second to none, save the Gundam pilots. Group Six is the first choice of ISD for sensitive operations}

 [Elevator 'dings' she is at her floor exits the elevator, turns to Heero]

Cathy: What will you be doing?

Heero: I'm going to the Medical tower and talk Sally into going along with this and then I'm gonna talk to Trowa. [Doors close]

Heero: Computer, locate Captain Po. 

Computer voice: Command level authorization is needed for remote location of command staff.

Heero: Captain Heero Yuy, authorization code: zero zero one-omega epsilon enable.

Computer voice: Authorization codes accepted, Captain Po is in the main lobby, central aft section.

[Shrugging Heero presses the button to take him to the lobby.  Int. shot of lobby: open and spacious. It spans the entire distance between the two towers (about 300 ft.) and up to the third story of both. The receptionist's desk stands a several meters in from the entryway just behind the large Preventer seal on the floor. Behind the receptionist's desk there is a large fountain in the middle of the lobby and other stuff you would see in the lobby of a government building. Sally Po is standing near the central elevator bank, dressed in summer whites, cover tucked under her left arm briefcase in her left hand (right arm is left free to return or give salutes).]

Sally: [to elevator] will you hurry up!

[On queue the doors open to reveal Heero Yuy standing in the car with a small grin on his face]

Heero: Going my way sailor?

Sally: (sly) that depends. [Steps in to elevator, door close] 

Heero: (Taking the bait) On what?

Sally: Will it involve the removal of your clothing?

Heero: Sadly not this time, my physical isn't until next week.

Sally: (Broad grin) I can wait. Besides I'm headed for a meeting with 'The Lady'. [Glances down at his attire] Speaking of clothing aren't you a bit out of uniform? 

Heero: Had an early morning meeting with a deep-cover operative which, by the way, is what I need to talk with you about.

Sally: How so?

Heero: Unless I miss my guess the meeting with 'The Lady" will be about Sen. Griggs' death.

Sally: (shocked) Kelly's Dead?

Heero: [looks at watch] Her body was found about an hour ago. I want you to do the autopsy.

Sally: (still a bit shaken) Yeah, alright. What do you want me to look for? 

Heero: Nothing.

Sally: What do you mean 'nothing'?

[Gives her the Reader's Digest version of the meeting with Matt, but leaves out the part about him being a senator. Or the assassination plot for Sen. Martin. Instead he calls him Preventer Bishop, as he finishes the elevator reaches it's destination. They exit and head down the hall]

Heero: So you understand why we have to do this?

Sally: Yeah, I do. I don't like it, but I understand.

Heero: That makes two of us [pulls out cell phone, hits speed dial, is answered on second ring. We only hear his half of the conversation] Bloom, Yuy, status…yeah…uh-huh… great, that's two down… yeah I'm on my way to find him now…(short chuckle) whatever, Yuy out. [Hangs up] Computer locate Captain Barton, authorization code: zero zero one-omega epsilon enable.

Computer voice: Authorization codes accepted, searching. 

Sally: So that's how you do it.

Heero: Do what?

Sally: Know exactly where everyone is at all times

Heero: Oh that, don't tell anyone. It'll take away from my image.

Sally: It'll be our secret.

Computer voice: Captain Barton is in situation room four. 

[Heero stops in his tracks draws his weapon, checks the clip and the chamber, re-holsters it in one smooth motion and then continues on]

Sally: what was that about?

Heero: You hear about the mid week meeting?

Sally: (understanding now) Oh, I see. Smart move.

Heero: Yeah, wish me luck. [Reached the door to Lady Une's office]

Sally: How bout' a good luck kiss [stands on her toes and gives him a peck on the cheek]

Heero: Thanks, I think that I'm gonna need it.

[After she enters the office Heero turns on his heel and head back the way he came, after a quick stop-off at his office, and takes the elevator down to sub-level 4 where the indoor ranges and the situation rooms are located. The situation rooms are kinda like the holodecks off Star Trek, a variety of locations and conditions may be recreated all with safeties, except for room four. It is reserved for Group Six and the Gundam pilots. 

As he reaches the entrance to the room he glances at the control panel that displays the current scenario settings.]

{BGM: _Weapon of Choice_ by Fat Boy Slim}

Heero: (reading the display) Scenario: Office High-rise, operatives: 8, seven computer controlled one human; Tangos: 67 all computer controlled, Time limit: none. Looks like he's just started.  (evil grin) Computer, add one human tango to Opp-four [opposing force] free agent.

Computer voice: Scenario modifications complete, enter when ready

[Heero Draws his weapon, presses the panel that open the massive blast doors and enters. Inside he finds himself inside a recreation of Preventer HQ, smiling to himself he moves off to track his prey. Two hours, 450 rounds of .45 cal, 800 rounds of 9mm (from the MP-5 he 'acquired' from one of the computer controlled operatives before he pasted him with his own weapon) and twenty shotgun shells later it was down to only him and Trowa with two clips of ammo between them.]

Heero: [behind a column checking the various weapons he has collected] Hey, Trowa I'm down to one clip for my sidearm. How bout' you?

Trowa: [behind another column on the other side of the room] Me too.

Heero: [tossing aside all the empty weapons and drawing his sidearm] How bout' we pull a Matrix?

Trowa: [Doing the same] Sure, why not.

Heero: On three?

Trowa: Check.

Heero: One…two...THREE!

[On three both rush out of their hiding spots at each other and began firing at each other while dodging bullets. Trowa, with the flare of the acrobat that he is, flips and spins to avoid the rounds flying at him. While Heero moves the with grace and economy of movement of a shadow, a drop of a shoulder and a side step here, a twisting of his torso there, almost as if he knows were the next round was going to be. The most effort he shows is when his does a baseball slide to avoid a shot in the chest while firing, causing Trowa to do the same.  The result: both wind up next to each other with their guns to each other's head.]

Heero (grinning): You're empty

Trowa (small smirk): So are you.

[at that Trowa tosses his spent weapon aside and springs to his feet while Heero actually does the 'Neo' fly/flip/spin thingy to his feet.  Then he tosses his weapon aside and reaches into the back of his jacket and pulls out two six-inch long and an inch and a quarter in diameter cylinders. One he tosses to Trowa who raises an eyebrow in silent question. Heero doesn't answer him verbally instead he presses a panel on the cylinder and what looks to be a black three-foot long thermal blade forms.]

Trowa: Personal Beam sabers?

Heero (shrug): I decided to change movies on ya.

Trowa: Um, won't these hurt a bit?

Heero: Right and bullets wouldn't?

Trowa: True, but I'm not as good as you with a beam saber.

Heero: I'll go easy on ya, besides these are set to stun.

Trowa: Stun?

Heero: Yeah, these are set to emit a highly focused static charge. [Assumes a fighting stance] Just think about it as really bad static cling.

Trowa (shrugging): whatever [presses panel and an orange-yellow blade forms] Nice.

Heero: I thought so.

[With that he began his assault. A few minutes in Trowa began to see that Heero wasn't trying to get him, but rather setting up a moderate workout pattern for him to follow. After five minutes of silence Trowa spoke]

{They are still fighting}

Trowa: How long?

Heero: Her working for me, or the relationship? 

Trowa: Both.

Heero: Eighteen months and six months, respectively 

Trowa (after thinking a bit): Do you love her?

Heero: That's…how do I say this right? I love her, but I'm not **in** love with her. Nor her me. 

Trowa: I don't follow.

Heero: Cathy and I had this conversation just last night. The best that we can figure is that we are using each other.

Trowa: What?

Heero: Right now she needs someone to care for. I fill that spot. She also sees that I need some sense of normalcy in my life and she provides it. 

Trowa (beginning to understand): How so?

Heero: Do you know how comforting it is to know that there is someone to come home to? Or to just sit and hold them just because?  I didn't, till she came along.

Trowa: What about…you-know-who?

Heero: She may have started the process, but she forfeited any and all chances we had, with the Mars Riots fiasco.

Trowa: Yeah, that was harsh. 

Heero: But that's not what I came down here to talk with you about. [Disarms Trowa, catches his weapon and points his own weapon at Trowa's throat]  We have a situation.

Trowa: Do tell. 

[Gives Trowa the full version of his meeting with Sen. Hayes, but still leaves out him being a senator and refers to him only as Preventer Bishop.]

Trowa: So you need a terrorist group to pin this on, right?

Heero:  Yeah, preferably one on our hit list. Computer, end scenario.

[At his command their surroundings shimmer and then dissolve into the bare walls with the emitters embedded in them.]   

Trowa: Come by my office tomorrow and I'll have something for you. 

Heero: Excellent. [Looks at watch as he walks away] Now if you'll excuse me I have to take a shower and change.

Trowa: Why?

Heero: [over shoulder] If she stays true to form she'll be calling for a press conference to express her 'heartfelt sadness and sympathy' for Sen. Griggs' tragic death.  Oh yeah, [Tosses PBS (Personal Beam Saber) to Trowa] you can keep the saber.

{BGM fade}

{Cut to:}

Location: Preventers World Head Quarters.  Brussels, Belgium

              17th Floor, Office of Captain Heero Yuy 

Time:    11:50 Zulu; 12:50 Local

Date:    Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

[Heero's office, being a corner office, is huge. To the left of the door is his big screen TV and VCR. To the right of that and in the corner between the two floor-to-ceiling windows is where his desk is situated, with two armchairs in front of it. In the center of the room there is a large oval shaped conference table with seating for six. Behind the conference table and to the right of his desk there is a working fireplace with two overstuffed high-backed chairs in front of it. To the right of the fireplace, and against the wall, sits a distressed-leather couch. On the same wall the couch rest against there's a door that leads to his private bathroom, complete with shower and wardrobe. The door from the outer office, where his secretary sits, opens and in walks Cathy. She has on dress blues, her cover under one arm and I the other she has the jacket to Heero's dress blues on a hanger and is running a lint brush over it. The door to the bath opens and out steps Heero in the dress blues also but without his jacket and his tie in hand.]

Heero: I know how much you like to tie my tie, so I didn't put it on this time. 

Cathy: Smart boy. [Walks up to Heero ties his tie and then helps him into his jacket]

Heero: Thank you. [Heads for the door with Cathy in tow. Heero stops as he passes his secretary.] So Kim, who's in on the office pool this time? 

Kim: [reads from list] From our division: Prince put down twenty for general BS; Marcus, Jones and Franklin put twenty each on 'a truly tragic loss'; Parker and Koloko put down thirty on tears, but she'll continue and Jenkins, Liles, Ballard, and Bussell put down fifty each on 'a sad day for all of us'. (pause) Whadda ya want me to put you down for? 

[It had become an office past time to bet on what the first fake response that the Minister would give at a major press conference. At one time the betting pool topped one thousand dollars, Heero won it.]

Heero: [after thinking for a minute] One hundred on 'my heartfelt sadness and sympathy' plus fifty says that she'll get choked up two minutes in and can't continue.

Kim: You got it. Oh, before I forget, The Lady wanted me to tell you that she wanted to go and to ask you to wait for her.

Heero: No problem. [To Cathy] Guess we'll have to take a fleet car.

Cathy: I'll get it. [Starts off but stops and turns back to Heero] Which do you want, the Mercedes or the BMW?

Heero: The Merc. 

Cathy: [Nods] I'll be waiting on sub-level one.

Heero: Gotcha 

[Cathy heads out the office and toward the elevators. Heero, meanwhile, waited for The Lady in his outer office and chatted with Kim. Shortly after Cathy leaves lady Une enters and without preamble turns to Kim and speaks]

Une: (fake wise guy accent) Gimme two hundred on whatever Heero put down.

Kim: He also has a side bet on.

Une: Whatever it is, double it. I'm feeling lucky!

Heero: Really? In that case why don't we just shuck the press conference and go back to my office and…(waggles his eyebrows)

[They both move out of the outer office and head for the elevator bank. The doors open and an influx of junior officers exit cutting off her retort. They enter and begin the ride down]

Une: And run the risk of raising the ire of one Ms. Bloom? Tempting, but no. 

Heero: Your loss. 

Une: Speaking of Cathy...

Heero: She's down on sub-level one with our ride.

Une: The Merc? 

Heero: Of course.

Une: (chuckling) If you like it so much why don't you buy one?

Heero: Who says I haven't already?

Une: All joking aside, give me a status report on the Kelly case.

Heero: Well, basically the Minister wants to get a foothold in SecCon. She didn't like Sen. Griggs and, if you'll pardon the pun, tried to kill two birds with one stone by having her killed. Her hopes being that Sen. Martin, (at her look of disgust) yeah the shithead from the Finance Committee, would be put in Kelly's place. What she didn't count on was our Human Intelligence (HUMINT) being as good as it is. 

Une: You have someone on the inside?

Heero: (warning tone) Beka, you know the rules.

Une: I know, sources and methods are on a need to know basis and I don't need to know, right?

Heero: Right now? No, you don't.

[The elevator stops at SL-1 and the exit and head over the motor pool where Cathy is waiting with their ride: a custom made black Mercedes 600 S series. A V-12 under the hood and enough armor to make a tank jealous yet it still retains the smooth ride of a civilian model. As they reach the car Heero opens the rear passenger door for Lady Une to enter and then follows her in. Once in Cathy starts the car and drives off]

Location: En Route to ESUN Senate Building. 

Time:  12:08 Zulu; 13:08 Local

Date:  Thursday, April 19 A.C. 200

{BGM: _Hook by Blues Traveler} _

Heero: Shall I continue? [at her nod he goes on] Quatre is 'investigating' this one and I brought Sally in on this so she can do the autopsy and report anything that we want her to. Also I asked Trowa for a list of possible Terrorist Cells we can hang this on and I have Team Six from GR6 on stand-by to deal with Martin.

Une: How?

Heero: Dunno really, I still need to gather info on him, but I think that I'll play it close to what we're doing with the Griggs case.

Une: You seem to have everything in order, just keep me posted.

Heero: Acknowledged. By the by, do you know where this press conference is being held?

Une: Not really. [to Cathy] Do you know?

Cathy: [from driver's seat] On the East steps of the Senate building.

Heero & Une: Figures.

Une: One would think that she'd get tired of hearing her own voice.

Heero: Lord knows I have. (Under breath) Bitch.

Une: Heero, you still haven't gotten over that have you?

Heero: It's not the fact that she cheated on me, or the fact that she tried to have me killed, hell that happens just about every other day. Nor is it the fact that when I confronted her about all of it she lied to my face and then used one of the most tired lines in the history of man to break it off with me.

Une: Did she use 'I think we should just be friends' or was it 'I love you, but like a brother'

Cathy: Or a combination of both?

Heero: No, she used 'I think we should see other people.'

Une: That tired line? I thought she had more imagination.

Heero: According to Grey: if a woman says 'we should see other people' you can sure bet that she's cut a pony from the herd, and if she ain't riding him she sure as hell has got the saddle out the barn! But, seriously what really (bt) hurt was that she did it all just to get publicity!

Une & Cathy: What!?

Heero: That's right. (Monotone) She wasn't getting the exposure that she felt she deserved.

Cathy: So she screwed around and tried to have her (bt) boyfriend killed. Didn't she think that the scandal would have ruined her?

Une: Not at that time. You see this was during the time that the public thought that she could do no wrong. Heero: Hell, they probably thought that her shit smelled like roses! But, I digress. She was going to publicly announce our break-up because the 'false allegations' had put undue strain on of relationship. In doing so she would have accomplished two objectives at once: getting her much craved attention and making me look like the bad guy for dumping her at such a  'traumatic time'.

Cathy: But it didn't happen like that did it?

Heero: Nope, I beat her to the punch. I held a press conference first and said the reason for our break-up was over security reasons. The attempt on my life caused me to see that I was putting her life in danger and with a heavy heart I had to put my duty as a Preventer ahead of my heart and end our relationship.  Not the allegations of her unfaithfulness. (Stops, shakes head and gives a rough chuckle then continues) That was the biggest line BS ever to come out of my mouth.

[The car is filled with laughter as the camera pans out.]

End : An Overture

_Next time on GW: The Space Between:_

_[The shot rang out in the crowded hall freezing all present in the hall, save four. One was clutching her shoulder trying to stop the blood flow, the two others on either side of her had their sidearms out. The third was pulling his wounded comrade down and shielding her with his body he to has his sidearm out.]_

_Heero:  (picking Lady Une up and cradling her) Cathy, clear a path. Quatre! Get the shooter! _

_Quatre: Got it!_

_[Like an attack dog Quatre shoots off after the shooter, with a feral grin on his face]_

_Quatre (VO): The hunt begins._

_Murphy's Laws of combat # 86: A Purple Heart just proves that were you smart enough to think of a plan, stupid enough to try it, and lucky enough to survive_.

Hey sorry bout the delay, hope you like it. R&R!!!


End file.
